Commercial
Ecclesiastical ducks to £59.7m loss for H1 2020
Insurer Ecclesiastical made a loss before tax of £59.7m for the first half of 2020 as the Covid-19 impact bit.
Blog: The changing workplace - from the practical to the emotional, how we choose to work is changing
The world of work has been rapidly changing over recent years as the influence of technological, social and environmental factors has repeatedly challenged the status quo. And significant as it has been, Munira Hirji, head of commercial management at…
Competition watchdog opens inquiry into Bupa’s CS Healthcare takeover
The Competition and Markets Authority has opened an inquiry into Bupa Insurance’s proposed merger with CS Healthcare, a Friendly Society with approximately 18,500 members originally set up in 1929 to provide health insurance cover for members of the UK…
Blog: The new noise-induced hearing loss?
Nearly two million workers in the UK are at risk of developing hand-arm-vibration syndrome, a debilitating, permanent condition caused by working with hand-held power tools. While it might not attract the same attention as other occupational diseases,…
Analysis: Ethnicity pay gap reporting - getting the ball rolling
With growing pressure on the government to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay reporting to measure inequality in the workplace, Post investigates what steps the industry is taking to prepare and what is still to do.
Kennedys launches virtual work experience programme
Kennedys has launched a virtual work experience programme to replace its usual in-person version and still be able to give would-be lawyers a taste of legal life during Covid-19 disruption.
Ardonagh buys £20m GWP Thames Underwriting
Ardonagh has bought managing general agent Thames Underwriting for an undisclosed sum adding £20m in gross written premium to the business.
RSA and Enstar insurers in £1.1m Haringey Council child abuse court actions
Enstar-owned Mercantile Indemnity has been ordered to pay out £1.1m after an appeal against a Haringey Council child sexual abuse payout failed. Mercantile appealed a 2019 judgment where RSA was the original insurer after it inherited the claim as part…
Bollington breaks through £200m GWP with Watson Laurie buy
Bollington has bought North West based corporate insurance broker Watson Laurie for an undisclosed sum, Post can reveal.
Spotlight: Product development: The need for speed
Lockdown has been a challenge for businesses across the country but the change in working has led to insurers developing in many positive ways that will benefit the customer in the long run
Hiscox and action group arbitration to commence following court agreement
Hiscox has agreed to an expedited arbitration process in its dispute with the Hiscox Action Group, a coalition of policyholders that is contesting the insurer’s rejection of coronavirus-related business interruption claims.
Zurich UK reports £140m of Covid-19 claims as it posts H1 loss
Zurich’s UK general insurance business faced £140m in Covid-19 related claims across travel, event cancellation and business interruption lines in the first half of 2020.
Claims Apprentice 2020: Episode five - Cyber challenge
With the country in Covid-19 lockdown the five remaining apprentices are given their latest task through the means of video conferencing.
Redefining diversity for growth and resilience in insurance
To survive and thrive in uncertainty, to shore up organisational resilience and remain innovative, insurance firms must embrace diversity and meaningfully embed it in their culture and operating model.
Abbey and Autoline merger to create £119m GWP acquisitive firm
The merger of Northern Ireland brokers Abbey Insurance and Autoline Insurance as Abbey Autoline on 1 September will create a £119m gross written premium growth focused firm that has an eye for striking takeover deals, managing director of the newly…
UK property pricing up 16% in Q2: Marsh
Global commercial insurance prices rose 19% in the second quarter of 2020, research by Marsh has revealed.
CII teams up with UEA to promote insurance careers
The Chartered Insurance Institute has joined forces with the University of East Anglia to help students develop a career in insurance through a programme that includes substantial savings on CII qualifications.
Government interventions to spare credit insurers the worst of pandemic losses
Credit insurers face pandemic-related claims continuing well into 2021 but will avoid losses on a similar scale to those seen after the 2008 global financial crisis thanks to government interventions, according to Fitch Ratings.
Analysis: Beirut blast – cost of humanitarian crisis could top $10bn
The explosion in Beirut, Lebanon at around 6pm local time on Tuesday 4 August tragically killed at least 157 people and wounded another 5000, with more than a hundred still missing as rescue efforts continue.
Second quarter performance pushes Ageas UK COR below 100%
Ageas UK has reported a post-tax profit of £22.8m for the first half of 2020 reversing a loss of £2.7m in the first quarter.
Blog: Covid-19 and the impact of emerging risks on the art market
The art market has a Covid-sized hole in its sales. Going online may be the key to its future – but it’s risky. Robert Read, head of fine art at Hiscox, explains why insurers can help.
Claims Apprentice 2020: Episode four – Insurtech challenge
With Team KDA emerging as the winners of the podcast challenge, the apprentices now move onto their next task.
Aviva planning aggregator motor roll out after Confused pilot
Aviva is targeting this autumn for the next stage of its move onto aggregators after a trial with Confused, Colm Holmes, Aviva CEO of general insurance, told Post.